Indian weightlifter Rishikanta Singh concluded his Commonwealth Games 2026 in style as he brought India its first silver medal at the CWG 2026 on Sunday. The 28-year-old emerged as the second-best among 11 participants in the men's 60kg category, and this performance helped India secure its second medal of the 23rd edition of the Games. The gold medal went to Malaysia's Mohamad Aniq bin Kasdan, and the bronze went to Joshua Mboya of Kenya.
The Indian weightlifter finished with a total of 264kg (121kg snatch + 143kg clean and jerk), while the Malaysian weightlifter claimed the gold medal with a Commonwealth Games record total of 273kg (121kg snatch + 152kg clean and jerk). The Kenyan weightlifter took bronze with 260kg (115kg + 145kg).
Expressing
his gratitude to the Indian Weightlifting Federation for supporting his journey, Singh said, "I am very happy. I want to express my gratitude to the Indian Weightlifting Federation and the Sports Minister; everyone provided immense support for the sport, enabling us to bring home this medal today. I am very happy and want to give credit to everyone involved. "
Who Is Rishikanta Singh?
Chanambam Rishikanta Singh (born 5 July 1998) is an Indian weightlifter from Ngairangbam Makha Maning Leikai in Imphal West, Manipur. His journey in the sport began at the National Sports Academy, Khuman Lampak, Imphal, where he laid the foundation for his weightlifting career.
Rishikanta later honed his skills at the Army Sports Institute, Pune, and the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NIS), Patiala, before undergoing advanced training at the National Sports Academy Vasil Levski in Bulgaria.
✅ Made his Commonwealth Games debut in style
✅ Secured a stunning 🥈 Silver Medal for India
✅ Created history by breaking the Commonwealth Games Snatch Record
✅ Lifted 121kg in his third attempt, surpassing the previous record mark of 120kg
WHAT A MEMORABLE DAY FOR… https://t.co/trXrBVMIWt pic.twitter.com/KYXD9gtWzM- myKhel.com (@mykhelcom) July 26, 2026
Representing both the Indian Army and India on the international stage, Rishikanta has emerged as one of the country's top weightlifters, earning recognition through a string of consistent performances at national and international competitions.
He made his Commonwealth Games debut in the men's 55kg category at Birmingham 2022. Four years later, he returns for the Commonwealth Games 2026, competing in the men's 60kg division as the reigning champion in his weight class.
Government Backing Powers Medal Charge At CWG 26
Since the conclusion of the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Rishikanta Singh has benefited from sustained government support under the Annual Calendar for Training and Competition (ACTC). He received financial assistance for the national coaching camp for elite weightlifters in Modinagar, Uttar Pradesh, from April to August 2026.
This was followed by governmental aid to compete at the Asian Senior Weightlifting Championships in Gandhinagar in May 2026. Ahead of the Commonwealth Games, he also underwent an acclimatization training camp at Warley Weightlifting Club in Birmingham from June to July 2026. Overall, Rishikanta has received Rs. 14,01,120 in financial assistance under the ACTC since CWG 2022.
